WASHINGTON (CNN) – House Minority Leader John Boehner turned up the heat Sunday in the escalating war of words between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, congressional Republicans, and the CIA over Pelosi’s knowledge of enhanced CIA interrogation techniques including water boarding.

Last week, Pelosi claimed that the CIA had misled herself and other members of Congress about whether it was actually using water boarding to obtain information from high-profile detainees during 2002 intelligence briefings.

The Ohio Republican said Pelosi should provide evidence that she was misled or apologize to the country’s intelligence community.

“Lying to the Congress of the United States is a crime,” Boehner said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. “And if the Speaker is accusing the CIA and other intelligence officials of lying or misleading the Congress, then she should come forward with evidence and turn that over to the Justice Department [for possible prosecution].”

“And if that’s not the case, I think she ought to apologize to our intelligence professionals around the world.”
After challenging Pelosi, Boehner sounded the praises of the nation’s intelligence gathering apparatus. “I’ve dealt with these people for three-and-a-half years on an almost daily basis,” Boehner told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King. “And I can tell you that I have never felt that I was misled. I’ve never felt that I’ve been lied to.”

The House Minority Leader described the information he’s received in intelligence briefings as “thorough” and “complete.” “They want to answer questions,” Boehner said describing the intelligence professionals he’d dealt with, “and there’s always, always an opportunity to object.”

“And Speaker Pelosi has, at times, objected to activities that were approved by the president. Those activities were changed as a result of her objection . . . in the intelligence environment.”

Boehner refused to say Sunday whether he thought it would be appropriate for the House of Representatives should begin an inquiry into whether Pelosi had lied about national security matters.

soundoff(299 Responses)

Chris

I can hardly recall stuff from a year ago, let alone 5+ years ago! Though I'm a Dem, I'm not a big Pelosi fan, but it should be proven that she did something wrong before hauling her off for crucifixion. Instruct the CIA to produce the breifing it supplied to Pelosi so this Republicant obfuscation will end. PLEASE!!! Surely there are more important issues facing our nation than this manufactured Republicant b.s.

May 17, 2009 11:57 am at 11:57 am |

Tom

George W. Bush NEVER lied to congress or the american people! If he had as you folks claim he would have been impeached by the Pelosi Reid junta in 2006.

May 17, 2009 11:57 am at 11:57 am |

DaBird

Attn: If you really think Pelosi is honest or doing a good job, then you must be from SF or just a liberal nut job. She is dishonest and dumb. If you hate Republicans so much that you cannot see this, then you shouldn't be voting. Replace her with an honest Democrat.

May 17, 2009 11:57 am at 11:57 am |

Daniel Bass

Pelosi is Speaker of the House and 3rd and line to succeed the presidency thereby making her comments serious and of need to be etiher substantitated or refuted, PERIOD!

May 17, 2009 11:58 am at 11:58 am |

Reeba

Pelosi has taken lessons – – – 'didn't hear' anything about enhanced interrogation during briefings – – – just like a member of Jeremiah Wright's church in his sermons, didn't hear the US -bashing he did.
.
As for all the Bush-bashers and blather-skite lefties – – my gosh – – your strong hateful language almost negates your comments.

May 17, 2009 11:59 am at 11:59 am |

robin

hi just my 2 cents here , one can anyone tell me is there proof Bush lied?? Sadam used chemical weapons at least 2 times, once on the kurds and in the iran iraq war, and possably on us troops in the gulf war. So he was given intellagence that indecated he was STILL making them we had just been attacked unprovoked. Now what would you have had Bush do, your country is attacked 3,000 dead, a hosital country, iraq has been playing games with the UN for 10 years about chemical weapons. If he had done nothing and we where attacked or one of our allies what would all you be saying. Polaski ran on she would stop the tourtuing the poor people who would just as soon see us dead as to look at us. And she says she didnt know WHAT. Now if you can tell me proof positive that Bush lied then i will say ok to Polaski.

May 17, 2009 11:59 am at 11:59 am |

Jack

The Republican party has never had a better advertisement than Nancy Pelosi. She has singlehandedly destroyed any possibility that the Democrats had of governing effectively, and she has now turned what was already a bizarre "debate" about torture into a complete circus. I am utterly astonished at her complete idiocy. How the people of San Francisco aren't in the streets absolutely screaming for this moron to step down immediately is totally beyond me.

May 17, 2009 11:59 am at 11:59 am |

Andy in Madison

I'm so pleased to see that the Republican Party is responding, years afterward, to the great harm done to our nation by the Bush administration, by going after someone who might or might not have heard about it a little.

May 17, 2009 12:00 pm at 12:00 pm |

Wes

The Republican Party is doing absolutely nothing towards the betterment of our nation. Absolutely nothing.

May 17, 2009 12:00 pm at 12:00 pm |

usualone

Boy, can those Republicans deflect issues from their own faults. They have done this for years and years. Sad that so many of the public fall for their tactics. Whatever may be the case with Ms. Pelosi, she is not responsible for the waterboard methods of operation. The real problem with Democrats is that they are open to discussions that produce different opinions, thus their road isn't as smooth as the Republican road has been in recent years. These attacks by the Boehners, Roves, and Cheneys of the world is to deflect from their own mismanagement of what is important to America's success. I hope the public doesn't let them dominate the airwaves with their continuing snipes. Let's get on with the business of cleaning up America's past mistakes and getting us back on economic pathway of success for Americans.

May 17, 2009 12:01 pm at 12:01 pm |

ibmgig

Pelosi and Barney Franks need to resign, they are a sad commentary on America's fall! Join the 912 project!

May 17, 2009 12:01 pm at 12:01 pm |

kishen c.rao

nonesense....she is just speaker...not president nor vice president...who authorised...they are the one to answer

May 17, 2009 12:01 pm at 12:01 pm |

George

Who the hell is John Boehner ? { Must be a Republican}

May 17, 2009 12:01 pm at 12:01 pm |

RR

good call. If the CIA lied, Pelosi needs to provide the evidence, so they can be prosecuted.

May 17, 2009 12:01 pm at 12:01 pm |

Keith

Provide proof Pelosi lied? I dont believe it is up to the Republicans to prove she lied. The Obama Administration, Panetta, is making the claim Pelosi lied. So we have 2 Democrats contradicting each other. Either Pelosi should prove the CIA is lying or the Obama Administration, Panetta should prove Pelosi is lying. But since Pelosi made the allegation, it should be on her to prove it.

May 17, 2009 12:01 pm at 12:01 pm |

Rickymo

This is vey important. The GOP has nothing to offer so go on personal attacks. Pity

May 17, 2009 12:02 pm at 12:02 pm |

Edward

Nancy Pelosi has lied to both the Democratic and Republican Party. Why can’t you see that? I cannot believe how some people think and act to support these crooks. All they can keep saying is George Bush this and George Bush that. If you want to keep living your life blaming Mr. Bush and allowing Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic Party to ruin or Nation, then I hope you can sleep well at night in what will soon be the former United States of America. We all should be concerned about the way our current leadership is running our Nation!!!!!!!!!!!!

May 17, 2009 12:03 pm at 12:03 pm |

German,Irish American

I have lived through the terms of nine Presidents, and have never seen the hate and division that our current President inspires in his followers. Whenever a Democrat is caught up in their lies, Obama's followers start spewing bigoted, racist, hate-filled speech against anyone with a different point of view. And by the way, now that Obama is President, it is good to see that he is backing away from his campaign promises, and following the Bush policies concerning our security,i.e. re-opening military tribunals, a surge in Afghanistan, much like the surge in Iraq that he was against but turned the war completely around, and leaving homeland security basically the same as Bush design it. As for Pelosi, it seems she knew about waterboarding, and did the right thing by approving it to keep our country safe at the time, but then used it as a political tool to fuse hatred towards Bush in order to gain political control of Congress, while lieying about what she knew and when she knew of the issue.

May 17, 2009 12:03 pm at 12:03 pm |

mary

throw all under the bus present past republician and democratic adminstration you want the truth don't elect any poltician.. bush chenney rice rumfield rove.. pelosi biden reid bohner all of them all lies! this is insane! let it go ... otherwise there will be wwIII

May 17, 2009 12:03 pm at 12:03 pm |

Dwayne NC

Water board her and find out if she is lying. She is a sick pathetic weak individual that would rather bow down to the terrorist and leaders of other countries than to stand up and be forceful and defend our country. All the liberals out there think that by becoming friends with the terrorist it opens up more doors for you to have an orgy with them. Keep it up they are going to stick something up your rectum that you don't want there, called a nuclear bomb. They already have highjacked 4 airplanes, took down two of the tallest buildings in the world, attacked our military headquarters and killed thousand of Americans, and you think dunking their head in a little water is torture, grow the heck up.

Stop trying to punish the people that fight and die for your freedoms and feeling sorry for the ones that try to take it way. Grow up and be an American for a change. If you have any feelings other than that, you need a blunt reality check.

May 17, 2009 12:03 pm at 12:03 pm |

patriot

Boehner has a face of hypocrisy & corruption.

May 17, 2009 12:03 pm at 12:03 pm |

Jean, Indiana

Too funny!

Provide proof or apologize? Pelosi has asked the CIA to release a full transcript. Follow up on that one, Boehner.

May 17, 2009 12:03 pm at 12:03 pm |

Joan , Ontario

Sorry, but watching John Boener all I could think of was Pres. Obama's hilarious comments about him at that dinner last week. Boehner would get his points across more if he wasn't so bitter, sarcastic and sour faced. Right now he is just a perfect representative for the Republcans in Congress.

May 17, 2009 12:04 pm at 12:04 pm |

Karen in Florida

This Republican thanks the Democrats for Madame Pelosi. Please keep her in her position as Speaker. At least until a different Majority is in place, a process which she is hastening, and then a change will be made :)

May 17, 2009 12:05 pm at 12:05 pm |

amb

I waterboaraded an ant in my sink strainer the other day, and it came scurrying out as though nothing happened to it. I was trying to drown it, so I think that waterboarding cannot be considered torture if that little ant survived it. What else can we use to get information from terrorists, when their countries smash fingers with hammers and cut off heads? C'mon – this is just a diversion for the Obama admin who don't want the nation to realize that they're committing torture to many by taxing the living daylights out of us and the future generations. What a crock! Throw Nancy under the bus – she's just another "California girl" (if you know what I mean).